There’s a hard-hitting style blaring out within the music of Incentives. The Australian band dazzle with their volatile brand of hard-core, matching up to the many bands that take shelter under the sweat soaked umbrella of the genre. The music is cut throat, colossal, and highly dramatic, made to pulsate, created to jolt a thousand underwhelmed hearts. And the band don’t abandon anything significant either. They play on what they’ve done and build upon it, attaching newly shaped and intricate guitar trickery. By managing to do that, they have morphed into a serious outfit, an act coordinating their own destiny with wholesome offerings.

The instrumentals are all competently issued throughout Incentives new EP Dusk. And the lyrics are cohesively drawn from a soul who has profoundly descended into chaos, who has bled and scratched for forgiveness. The prayers are interesting, but God isn’t listening, and his angels dressed in their Sunday best can’t do a thing about it either. The screams and growls on Dusk are expertly produced with rage in mind. They’re focused on with intent, naturally evolving as the music generates. And there isn’t any calming wish or a chance for a moment in closure. If you take the plunge, then you’re in for treat and a breakaway from the normal day to day radio drone.

It’s harsh yes. But it’s electrifying. Touching the inner core of sadness and pessimism with the addition of fraying hope. And yes it doesn’t sound like it should be a record to behold, but it is. It’s a satisfying blast of ruthlessness that isn’t pretty but it has purpose. The EP begins with ‘Dawn’. The song opens with a spit soaked vocal intro that commits to the guitar structure. There’s clean vocals there also to add a cooling contrast. There’s screaming tension throughout. ‘Place Holder’ manages to create a calming vibe for a minute or so, loosening the grip of haste. The guitar sequence molds well with the drum beat. The introduction of throat ripping vocals and rapid fire intensity also enhance the track. ‘Foreign’ starts with a blend of well-balanced guitar strokes and relentless growls that form a great bond.

Incentives are a band that don’t rely on luck. Their music is brash, but it enforces a state of sensitiveness that is rare. They could be the next darlings of metal/hard-core.